Obsession: 'an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind'

You may be obsessed with wringing every last ounce of your ideal tone from your guitar, amp, and cable combination. Maybe to sound just like one of your heroes or carve a sonic niche all of your own.

At Morgan Custom Guitars I'm obsessed with every aspect of the design and construction of the guitar. From the selection and seasoning of the wood to the final polish and assembly, every part, process and raw material is constantly scrutinized and where possible refined and enhanced. Thus we have a common goal, to place in your hands the finest instrument possible.

Lets' be honest a great guitar is not just about tone. It's a object of desire, a great guitar calls to you when you should be concentrating on other things. You pick it up for 'just five minutes' and lose hours - your partner gets used to going to bed on their own! It inspires you to new levels, guides you into previously unknown territories or lets you revisit old places with an unfamiliar ease.

But what makes a great guitar great? Well you won't find any tins of Mojo or cans of snake-oil in my workshop! Just a selection of the finest tonewoods, a real understanding of the engineering science of guitar making and an attention to detail that borders on OCD.

A lot is written about the 'art' of lutherie. To my mind this art is the ability to mix creativity, aesthetics and engineering whilst retaining a clear vision of just what we're trying to do here - create great sounding instruments. It has to look right, it has to feel right, hell it even has to smell right but most importantly it has to sound right.

My interpretation of this art involves mixing cutting edge technology with lots (and lots) of old fashioned hand work. The workshop is an 18th century Oak framed barn nestled in the beautiful Welsh hills. Inside you'll find a high tech CNC machine (plus the usual selection of power tools) occupying the same space as dozens of hand tools, some of them over a hundred years old.

The materials I use consist of nothing but the finest tonewoods plus a few select components carefully chosen for their form, function and performance.

My philosophy is evolution not revolution, re-engineer and redesign but leave well enough alone where appropriate. Show respect for what's gone before but question and improve what's yet to come.